Dolphins G.M. Jeff Ireland is going all in.
Specifically, he’s signing players to contracts that use minimal cap space in 2013, with the obvious goal of getting as many impact players as possible on the field this year, in the hopes of turning the team’s fortunes around.
From receiver Brian Hartline ($2.15 million of a five-year, $30.775 million deal) to quarterback Matt Moore ($2.5 million of a two-year, $8 million deal) to receiver Mike Wallace ($3.25 million of a five-year, $60 million deal) to linebacker Dannell Ellerbe ($2.425 million of a five-year, $35 million deal) to linebacker Phillip Wheeler ($2.4 million of a five-year, $26 million deal), those five contracts account for a total of only $12.725 million in 2013 cap space.
Next year, with Hartline’s number going to $6.2 million, Moore’s moving to $5.5 million, Wallace’s skyrocketing to $17.75 million, Ellerbe’s inflating to $7.425 million, and Wheeler’s growing to $6.4 million, the combined cap numbers for the same five players become $43.275 million.
So, basically, the Dolphins won’t be spending quite as freely next year. Depending on the rest of the contracts that are on the books for 2014, they could be hustling to clear cap space.